COLUMBUS – It was like Ohio State pulled off a blockbuster early in the season, trading LaQuinton Ross for LaQuinton Ross.

The mercurial junior was scoreless at Marquette, then followed with four points against American and three against Wyoming. At crucial moments in games, he found himself watching on the bench instead of producing on the court.

“The beginning of the season started out real slow, but then I started picking it up toward the middle, especially in Big Ten play,” Ross said. “I can’t complain about the season now. I think I’m doing good right now, and that’s the thing that matters.”

The 6-foot-8 forward was penciled into the lineup as the heir apparent to All-American forward Deshaun Thomas, who left a year early for a pro career. Ross showed flashes of being that type of dynamic scorer, especially in the 2013 NCAA Tournament when he averaged almost 18 points in his final three games, including a game-winner against Arizona in the Sweet 16.

“I think it was me getting adjusted to my role in the team and me actually playing,” Ross said of his slow start. “This is my first year starting, and this is my third year here. I think it was a lot different for me.”

There was never an ah-ha moment for Ross, a game where things suddenly clicked for him. Instead, it was an evolution this year.

Primarily a perimeter player as a sophomore, he started the year wanting to be a 3-point shooter first. But after going 3-for-8 from 3-point range in a loss at home to Iowa, how he got his points started to change.

In his past 13 games, Ross has made as many as two 3s just once. But his scoring average is up to 15.4 points per game. His ability to pump fake and drive the ball into the lane has been the difference.

“Finding ways to get to the hole is what I do,” Ross said. “I’ve been doing that a lot lately, trying to get to the rack, trying to finish, trying to get contact and trying to get to the free-throw line — using that free-throw line to open up the jumper.”

He hasn’t scored fewer than 19 points in his past six games. In that time, he’s shooting 47 percent from the floor and averaging 7.5 free throw attempts, making 76 percent of those.

Buckeye coach Thad Matta said Ross is recognizing the matchups by taking bigger players off the dribble and posting up smaller players off switches.

“Q is stronger than he looks,” Matta said. “He does have some pretty good strength to him.”

He’s the team’s leading rebounder at 6.1 per game, but he went for 19 points and 15 rebounds against Purdue and 26 points and 13 rebounds against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament. When games are tight, he’s no longer a spectator like in the early or middle of the season.

“Playing against this better competition makes you step up your game as well,” Ross said.

There was speculation in 2013 that Ross might declare for the NBA draft. In the preseason, he said he almost went pro. A quick look at 11 NBA mock drafts heading into the tournament has only one with him as a late first-round pick. Most see him as a middle to late second-rounder, if at all.

So if his motivation this season is to attract the attention of pro scouts or if it’s to be the best Ohio State player he can be — or something in the middle — the bottom line is it’s working for him and the team.

Turns out the Ross-for-Ross trade was a blockbuster for the Buckeyes.

rmccurdy@nncogannett.com

419-521-7241

Twitter: @McMotorsport

Buckeye NCAA

Tournament Advance

•

Who:

No. 6 Ohio State (25-9) vs. No. 11 Dayton (23-10).

•

What:

NCAA Tournament, South Region, second round.

•

When:

Thursday, 12:15 p.m.

•

Where:

Buffalo, N.Y., First Niagara Center (18,690).

•

TV:

CBS.

•

Series:

Ohio State leads 4-2.

•

Buckeye Notes:

Ohio State has made four straight Sweet 16s, the longest current streak in the nation ... The Buckeyes are 8-5 against teams in the NCAA Tournament this year ... The No. 6 seed is their lowest seed since being a No. 8 in 2009 ... OSU has never been a No. 6 seed ... No. 3 Syracuse or No. 14 Western Michigan would be in the next round Saturday if the Buckeyes win ... The South Regional will be played next week in Memphis.

•

Flyer Notes:

Dayton is making its 15th NCAA Tournament appearance, but first since 2009 ... Head coach Archie Miller was an assistant for a year under Thad Matta at Ohio State ... Junior guard Jordan Sibert played his first two seasons at Ohio State before transferring, and he averages a team-high 12.5 points on 44 percent 3-point shooting ... Two Columbus Northland products Jalen Robinson and Devon Scott, a pair of 6-9 frontcourt players, come off the bench for the Flyers.